


thanks, man.

by paranormalbouquet



Category: Tiny Meat Gang (Band)
Genre: M/M, Platonic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 09:10:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20739785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paranormalbouquet/pseuds/paranormalbouquet
Summary: Whatever it was, the facts still stood; he was sober with a throbbing headache from the entirely too loud music in this club (and maybe because he hadn’t eaten all day) and Cody was absolutely trashed dancing in the swarm of people that littered this club.





	thanks, man.

He’d been sipping on Coca-Cola all night. 

Unofficially assigned designated driver? His own personal decision to cut out alcohol from his life for the most part? 

Whatever it was, the facts still stood; he was sober with a throbbing headache from the entirely too loud music in this club (and maybe because he hadn’t eaten all day) and Cody was absolutely trashed dancing in the swarm of people that littered this club.

Even in the low light, he could see sweat reflecting off Cody’s face and the pinkish glow the alcohol gave him. His hair fell in the perfect swoop that it always did only now it looked a little stringy and wavy due to the heat in the room. He watched as Cody ran his fingers through his hair, brushing it out of his own face.

He shouldn’t even be here right now. Kelsey should be here having fun with him out there. They should _ both _ be getting all too fucking drunk and taking a Lyft back to their apartment where God only knows what they’d do. Noel knew Cody and Kelsey’s relationship to be wholesome and good, but goddamn were they chaotic with each other. Alone in their apartment, both completely plastered? God help their neighbors. 

He himself should be at home right now. He should be spending time with Aleena or editing or eating something or, I don’t know, taking some ibuprofen for this fucking headache. 

And yet, Kelsey had to go out of town almost a week ago for some reason that Cody told him earlier today but the pounding in his head wouldn’t let him remember. Something with her family and Cody told him that she didn’t even know when she’d be able to come home. 

So now, he’s here spending his Friday night nursing a fucking Coke and babysitting Cody at a birthday party for a person he doesn’t even know.

He hates the power Cody holds over him. He really shouldn’t let it happen but he does. Cody wouldn’t be able to hold control over a fly, but Noel still lets it happen to himself. He still lets his decisions get swayed faster than they ever should be swayed by a friend. Noel hates to admit it. Yeah, he puts on this tough outer shell and makes it seem like he’s a man of his own word and most of the time he is. 

But then Cody came around. 

And that stupid, ambitious, confident, cute ass makes him do stuff he would normally never. 

“Come on, man. You need a night out anyways. Treat yourself, bro,” Cody had pleaded with him as he patted him on the shoulder. And it was just like that. Now he’s here. 

The song that was playing died down and the second the next song started playing, everyone and their cousin went absolutely apeshit. He watched as Cody yelled and raised his hands in the air. He seemed to have lost his balance and almost ate shit before a man that had to be at least 5 inches taller than him caught him and balanced him again. 

A twinge. A small jealous twinge right in Noel’s stomach.

“Okay, okay. That’s enough,” he said to himself before standing up from his seat and walking over to where Cody was. He could tell the exact moment that Cody saw his face because it lit up and the smile on his face was… how the hell do you put this… adorable.

“Noooeeel!” Cody yelled over the blasting music and raised his arms as if to welcome in a hug from his friend. “How’s it hangin’, my man?” Cody slurred out as he enveloped himself over Noel’s body.

“Oh, shit, bro,” Noel let out as he patted Cody on the back and pulled away from the heavy hug. He looked Cody in the eyes but Cody couldn’t stay focused on anything. His vision was lost, looking at Noel but almost staring through him, a glazed look when the low lights from the club hit his eyes at the right angle. “Yo, I think it’s time we bounce,” Noel yelled over the rumbling of the music.

“What?” Cody asked loudly in response. Noel leaned up close to Cody again and put his mouth near his ear. 

“We should be heading out, dude. It’s getting late,” the tone of his own voice made his head ring. 

“Oh, shit, okay,” Cody answered, not needing much persuasion in his inebriated state. “Lemme jus go wish the— the birthday boy a happy birthday again.”

As he turned around to find the man of question, he lost his balance again and almost fell before Noel caught him. 

“Okay, buddy. Take it easy. Let me help you out.”

—

They eventually got back to Noel’s car after he basically had to carry Cody the whole way. His neck and shoulders hurt after having Cody’s arm draped over it for so long. Cody was tripping over his feet and giggling to himself the entire way back. Just before they walked into the parking garage where Noel’s car was, Cody’s arm fell from Noel’s shoulders and he looked over to see why the man who could barely stand by himself let go of the solid support he had. The reason became very clear very fast when he saw Cody throwing up in the bushes that lined the walls of the structure. 

“Oh… Bro,” Noel sighed as he walked up next to Cody, brushing the hair out of his face that was dangerously close to getting vomit in it.

“Oh,” Cody swallowed, presumably done for now, and used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. He then proceeded to wipe his hand on his jeans and Noel cringed internally at the nastiness of the action. Cody took a few breaths and laughed a little at himself before speaking again. “Shit,” he chuckled as he leaned up against the wall of the building. “Normally don’t do that... I’m— I’m all good... ‘s all good,” he drunkenly tried to assure Noel, waving his hands out in front of him.

“Yeah, well, you won’t be saying everything’s all good if you vom in my car,” Cody just smiled in response to that and Noel shook his head as he tried to hold in a little laugh of his own. “Come on, man,” he reached for Cody’s wrist and put his arm on his shoulders, supporting the weight of the bigger man again. 

Up at the car, Noel fiddled with his keys trying to get to his key fob with one hand. He unlocked it and tried to help Cody into the passenger spot. 

“Watch your head, bro,” he warned Cody even though he could’ve just not said it too and this would’ve turned out the exact same way because just before Cody sunk into the seat, he whacked his head right on the door frame.

“Ah, fuck,” Cody chuckled out as Noel brought his hand to his face.

“Oh, God. What the fuck did I say?” he mumbled out. A deep breath in and a deep breath out. He leaned over to be able to see Cody’s face. “You okay, man?” Cody didn’t answer at first, just stared blankly out the windshield. “Cody.”

“Yeaahh! Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I am…” Noel could see the gears in his head turning, “I’m chillin’. We’re chillin’. Doin’ great!” 

“Got it,” Noel nodded, shut the car door, and walked to his side of the car. He got in and stared at the man sitting next to him who had that stupid grin on his face again. “So. There’s gotta be a reason why this is the drunkest I’ve ever seen you.”

“Uh. Yeah. I… I jus miss her like crazy. I mean… Kelsey, you know,” Cody was staring at the floor of the car. “I want— I want her to be here…” 

“Yeah. I feel ya, man,” he tried to empathize. “She’ll be back eventually.”

Cody nodded in response as he stretched in his seat and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands. “Yo, but I— I’m tryna have a,” he held his breath a second and burped silently, “a good night, okay?” 

“‘Kay. I gottchu, man.” Noel felt bad for him. He couldn’t imagine having to say goodbye to Aleena and then to just not know when she was coming back. Cody was going through it. So maybe this was the least he could do for him.

He put his keys in the ignition and started the car and just before he shifted the car into reverse, Cody looked over at him and said something he wasn’t sure drunk Cody would even have the mental capacity to say.

“Hey… Thanks for going out with me tonight.”

—

Like Noel had said, this was the drunkest he’d ever seen Cody and he could tell just by the way he was sitting there and staring out the window at random things as they passed and mumbling to himself that he wasn’t sobering up at all. _Damn, it’s gonna be a rough few days for him,_ Noel thought.

Cody’s vision eventually made its way to Noel and stayed there. This dopey ass grin was stuck on Cody’s face. Noel glanced over at him a few times in between paying attention to the road. 

“What?” Noel asked him, curious as to why he was staring at him.

“Nothin’,” and he just stayed sitting there like that, smiling like an idiot at nothing other than Noel. Noel shook his head a little.

“Man, you are fully fucked up.”

Cody let out a few small laughs in reply. 

They sat in silence for who knows how long before Cody and his drunken ass spoke up again.

“Dude... okay. Listen to this. Y’know, our friendship is so strong,” he closed his fist and shook it out in front of himself, “we could probably like... fuck and it wouldn't mess it up,” he let out a wheeze laugh, “Y’know?”

Noel’s eyebrows furrowed on his face and he squinted his eyes at the sentence Cody was uttering. 

“Man, what?” Noel let out with a laugh.

“Oh, bro, come on. Y’know, wouldn't that be crazy?” Cody’s face was full of expression like his inebriated self was really trying to make a point. “You— you can’t tell me you’ve never thought about it before, my man.”

“Yeah, so crazy... if we fucked,” he mocked the man sitting next to him, “What the hell, man?” he laughed out again. 

“Hey, I’m just sayin’. Our friendship is strong as fuck, right? Like… like it’d prolly turn out real nice and enjoyable, y’know?” Cody kept rambling on and on.

“Damn, dude, Kelsey needs to get back soon.”

“What if we like… what if we filmed it and like put it on PornHub?” Cody laughed at himself again, doubling over in his seat. 

“Yup, there it is,” Noel said as if he knew that was coming. He was unimpressed and yet amused. 

“Dude, like a… like a ‘That's Cringe’ only naked and fuckin’, y’know?” Cody paused to catch his breath because he thinks he’s just so funny. “No, wait, oh my god. It’s, uh, it’s a ‘That’s Cringe’ but it’s us watching our sex tape,” he let out another wheeze and grabbed his chest.

“Jesus Christ, Cody,” Noel shook his head, laughing at the absurdity of this all. Might as well play along. “‘Hey guys,’” he imitated himself addressing their YouTube audience. “‘So this edition of ‘That’s Cringe’ is gonna be a little different than the rest of the ones we’ve done.’” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Exactly! That,” Cody validated Noel’s input while still giggling at the concept itself. A lull in the conversation hit, a comfortable silence for the circumstances.

“I’m jus kiddin’, dude,” Cody assured. “I’m jus sayin’ you mean a lot to me, bro.”

Noel looked over at him again, face glowing in the dim light of the night and Noel was filled with affection. 

Aleena was the love of his life and nothing will ever change that. But Cody, Noel doesn’t even want to think about where he’d be right now if Cody hadn’t of come into his life. 

As he said, he hated the control Cody had over him. He hated being sappy. 

Fuck this stupid white boy for pulling at his emotions.

Cody, his platonic soulmate. Meant-to-be friend.

“Oh, fuck you, man, ‘cause you’re definitely not gonna remember any of this,” Noel accused lightheartedly. “And fuck you for making me feel shit,” he paused for a second, “while you’re plastered none the less,” a breath. “But… Thanks, Cody. I don’t… I don’t even wanna get into how much you’ve, uh, how much you’ve done for me.”

He glanced over at Cody again after he didn’t get a response and found him leaning up against the window with his eyes closed and a smile still on his lips. 

“You little shit,” Noel let out softly, “last time I get soft with you.”

Just then, Cody reached over and lightly smacked Noel on the arm with the back of his hand. 

“I heard you, dude. Love you too.”

—

They finally got to Cody’s apartment and Noel had to wake a peacefully sleeping Cody from his passenger seat. 

“Hey, Cody, come on. We’re here,” Noel softly nudged at Cody’s arm from where he stood, resting his other hand on the open car door.

“Mmm,” Cody groaned in displeasure.

“Come on, dude. I don’t want you spending the night in my car.”

Cody sighed. “I don’t mind,” he mumbled out as Noel rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, well, I do and I wanna fuckin’ go home so let’s get a move on,” Noel grabbed under Cody’s bicep to get leverage on him and tugged in an effort to get him out.

“Okay, okay, okay, okay,” Cody trailed off, now helping slightly with getting himself up. 

“There we go,” Cody leaned on Noel again, his arm taking its spot back on Noel’s shoulders where it had been earlier. “Ya big baby.”

Finally, in Cody’s apartment that Noel had to dig in Cody’s pockets to get the keys to, Noel led him to his bedroom where Cody practically fell on to the bed, his legs hanging off the end. His forearm came up to rest over his eyes, blocking out the brightness of the room.

“Where do you put your sweatpants?” Noel asked, seemingly now on a mission to make sure his friend was comfortable before he left. 

“S’okay, dude. I’ll jus sleep like this,” Cody tried to tell Noel as he messily scooted himself up his bed. “You can go home. Go home to Aleena and… and cuddle her and love her and—”

“Not so fast,” Noel stopped Cody before he got too far up the bed by grabbing his ankle. “I know how fucking awful it is to wake up in jeans. I’m not about to do you dirty like that,” He explained as he started walking around the room to try and find where Cody kept the article of clothing. He eventually found them and grabbed a pair. “Unbutton your pants, man. I’ll help you change.”

The request took a second to reach Cody’s brain and another second for his body to respond to the signal. He reached in front of himself and tried to undo the button but in normal drunk person fashion, his fingers looked like spaghetti trying to accomplish the task. 

“God, you’re helpless,” Noel softly laughed out, crawling on to the bed and taking the task into his own hands. “Lift your hips, bro,” he directed as he pulled down on the denim. “I’m being for real with you when I say this, Cody, okay? I’m sorry that Kelsey’s been away for so long. I know how you must be feeling, man. It fuckin’ blows to know that the person you love so goddamn much isn’t at home waiting for you. You know you can confide in them and you know you can love on them and when they’re not there, it fucks everything up,” Cody was left just in his t-shirt and boxer briefs. Noel opened up the pair of sweatpants and proceeded to slide them on the man in front of him. “I know you’re fucked up right now but I needed you to hear that. I’m sure she’ll be back soon. Lift again,” Noel interrupted himself in order to pull the sweatpants up fully. “And one more thing,” Noel folded his legs under himself to sit on the bed and made eye contact with Cody who was still laying down. “For as long as I’ve known you, I’ve never seen someone come into your life and do as much as Kels has done for you. Dude, she’s so good for you and I know you know that too.”

“Hey,” Cody rested his palm on Noel’s knee and somehow even drunk and half-asleep, he was able to craft a response that hit Noel square in the chest. “I could say the same shit about you. I mean, you coming into my life and all,” Cody’s words were all connected making him hard to understand, but Noel got it.

“Thanks, man,” he replied with a soft grin on his face. Cody removed his hand from Noel’s knee and closed his eyes, fumbling to pull the covers over himself. “Imma head out,” he said as he stood up. “I’ll see you later, dude.” 

“Mmm,” Cody grumbled back in response.

And then Noel left. On his way back home to his girlfriend who he could snuggle up with in bed and wake up to in the morning.

But of course, he didn’t leave before he put a few aspirins and a cup of water on Cody’s nightstand along with a waste bucket by the side of his bed because he was definitely going to need it. Maybe it all was the least he could do. 

**Author's Note:**

> tacotuesdaygirl on twitter and tumblr


End file.
